How to Connect With Neighbors and Build Community Through Design
how to connect with neighbors and build community through design
March 30, 2023
Ever thought about how design can build community? Inspired Interiors Founder and Principal Emily Mackie learned this from her mom, who completely transformed their Texas neighborhood through landscape design. After checking in with their neighbors, she planted trees along the street’s sidewalk. Thirty years later, Emily remembers those original small saplings as she drives down what is now a verdant avenue lined with towering trees. Not only did her mom’s design choice give the homes in the area serious curb appeal, but it also allowed the neighbors to watch their trees grow, year by year, and pass them on to the next generation.
This childhood memory informs Inspired Interiors’ approach toward home design to this day—and it’s proof that to build, participate in, and enjoy our communities, we can take advantage of small design choices that make a big impact. When designing home features to facilitate connections with neighbors, start outdoors.
Design an inviting front porch
Everybody loves a big front porch. It’s the place where you can cradle a cup of coffee in the morning, waving to your neighbors while they walk their dogs. It’s where you can sip wine with your partner while watching your kids play in the front yard, or have a heart-to-heart with a friend on your gently rocking porch swing. “All of these moments happen through design,” Emily says, underscoring how design can elevate your daily routines.
Turn your front porch into a place where you actually want to spend time (using our top tips for prepping your outdoor space), and you’ll have far more opportunities to connect with your community. Maybe your neighbor will see you reading this morning’s Tribune and strike up a conversation about current events, or maybe they’ll notice that you like a cocktail in the evening and invite you over for happy hour. If you spend all your time indoors, you may never find out!
take advantage of a big window
You may not be comfortable with an all-glass home exterior, and that’s totally OK. But having a large front window doesn’t mean your neighbors have to see all of your business. Consider it your “Christmas tree window:” In the winter months, neighbors will feel like you’re celebrating the holidays together as they walk past your twinkling tree. For the rest of the year, the window could display something else you love and want to show to your community: a sprawling playhouse for your cat, a conversation-starting art piece, your incredible collection of indoor plants or painted vases, and the list goes on.
add interactive touches to your front yard
A whimsical finishing touch—like fairy houses in your trees—give your neighbors something to ask you about.
The best way to open yourself up to your community is to create a space that clearly invites interaction with your neighbors. A few of our favorite ways to pull this off:
A touch of whimsy: Add a design element to your front porch or yard that neighbors just have to stop and ask you about. Maybe it’s front steps decked out in tiles you found in Lisbon, or an Italian-inspired garden with lemon trees and angelic statues. The more curious, the better: Think fairy houses built into your tree trunks!
A Little Free Library: Turn your front yard into the neighborhood’s miniature library, where kids and their parents can pop by to donate beloved books and grab a new read.
Bird baths and feeders: Any birdwatchers in the area? Surprise and delight your neighbors on their afternoon walks with a bird sighting in your stone bath. The kids will be even happier if you set up pine cones, peanut butter, and birdseed for them to feed the local wildlife.
A playground for everyone: Put a slide, tire swing, or seesaw in your front yard with a sign that says, “Use me!” and you’ll quickly become the most popular house on the block. Not only will will a play area give your kids some bonding time with neighbors, but it could also give you a chance to decompress with other adults at the end of a long day—just add a bench for everyone to sit on.
SEE COMMUNITY-BUILDING IN ACTION AT 1760 WASHINGTON
Inspired Interiors’ award-winning show home, designed using state-of-the-art 3D rendering technology from start to finish, is open to visitors today! The Art of Living at 1760 Washington Avenue in Chicago’s desirable Wilmette neighborhood is a testament to the power of design to enhance life’s most meaningful moments. Our team chose every detail to help homeowners enjoy life in new, empowering ways—including an interactive candy jar on the front porch. Available for delivery personnel, construction workers, and visitors to grab a sweet on their way in or out of the home, this small gesture stays on people’s minds (trust us, we’ve seen them smiling and giving their thanks on the Ring camera!). See it on your visit to 1760 Washington, and find more inspiration on transforming your home into an experience.
Better outdoor spaces are among the top seven amenities luxury home buyers want today—and better yet, they empower homeowners to make memories in a place they love. Building community though design is easier than you think with the guidance of the Inspired Interiors team. Get in touch with us to turn your home into a paradise for your family and a fixture of your neighborhood.